I remember exactly when I first heard about Yayoi Kusama. It was in the book Modern Art from the Art Essentials series, where she was featured in the chapter on ‚Performance Art.‘ The photograph shown there is still etched in my mind: Kusama alongside others, their bodies covered in painted dots, standing on the Brooklyn Bridge.

As I follow Museum Ludwig on Instagram, I knew about this major Kusama retrospective well in advance. Furthermore, the German art podcast Augen zu dedicated an episode to her just a few weeks prior to the opening (Kusama verzaubert Punkt für Punkt die ganze Welt)

I visited the exhibition in Cologne just one day after the official opening. Since it was a Sunday, the museum was crowded, and the first thing I noticed was the striking presence of children and teenagers alike.

Inside Kusama’s World

The exhibition was expansive. As the museum featured over 300 works, it was clear that a collection of this magnitude required significant space. The show spread across several rooms, multiple floors, and even an outdoor terrace.

After a massive Kusama pumpkin that guarded the entrance, visitors were greeted by works on paper and canvas, as well as her fashion designs. Some of the early drawings date back to Kusama’s childhood, when she was between five and ten years old. What I had learned from the podcast—but could now witness firsthand—was that even her earliest works featured her signature polka dots. These dots became the recurring theme for which she is now world-renowned.

We are about to enter the highlight—or at least the highlight for me—of the Yayoi Kusama exhibition in Cologne. It was a room spanning two stories, filled with gigantic yellow and black polka-dotted tentacles. This is what I call a truly immersive experience; it felt as though you were standing directly inside a work of art. Yet, the tentacles weren’t the main focus. In the center of the room sat a cube with mirrored walls, and housed within it was one of her world-famous Infinity Mirror Rooms.

Throughout the exhibition, there were three rooms that required queuing to enter. You may hate waiting in line at museums, but for me, it was a major benefit: I was forced to actually take in the artworks surrounding me. Otherwise, I might have simply rushed straight into the installations without appreciating the journey.

A highlight unique to the Cologne show was the terrace, which featured not only one of the two mirrored cubes but also three of Kusama’s large-scale flower sculptures. The fact that these vibrant sculptures were positioned with a stunning view of the majestic Cologne Cathedral made this exhibition truly one-of-a-kind.

A Personal Perspective

Yayoi Kusama is an artist whose work remains accessible to everyone, regardless of age. I have already noted the many parents attending with their children, but I also encountered visitors who might not typically be ‚into art‘ enjoying the experience. The term ‚blockbuster exhibition‘ is truly fitting here. It is the kind of event where you simply have to be there; otherwise, you’ll find yourself missing out on the conversation everyone else is having.

The retrospective Yayoi Kusama is on view at the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, until August 2, 2026.

I had the pleasure of visiting the exhibition myself on Sunday, March 15, 2026.